Rongotea, Manawatu-Wanganui

Rongotea
village
Rongotea
Coordinates: 40°18′0″S 175°25′0″E / 40.30000°S 175.41667°E / -40.30000; 175.41667Coordinates: 40°18′0″S 175°25′0″E / 40.30000°S 175.41667°E / -40.30000; 175.41667
Country	New Zealand
Region	Manawatu-Wanganui Region
Territorial authority	Manawatu District
Named for	"Peaceful place", or a local chief

Rongotea is a small rural township in the Manawatu District of the Manawatu-Wanganui Region. Located on the western Manawatu Plains, approximately 19 km (12 mi) northwest of the region's main city, Palmerston North.

Features

Like most of the small settlements around the Manawatu, Rongotea is surrounded by dairy farms and the township serves as the service centre.

Among the facilities are local businesses, retailers and a few eateries.

The township is served by Rongotea School. There are no secondary schools in Rongotea.

Unusual for a township of its size, Rongotea has five churches.

Te Kawau Memorial Recreational Centre is here and is home to the famous Te Kawau Rugby Club.

Population

The population in 2006 was 591.^[1][2]

History

In the late 1860s, the Government put the Carnarvon Block up for sale, along with the neighbouring Sandon Block.^[3] Two businessmen from Otago, the Hon Robert Campbell and John Douglas, bought the 21,400 acre “Oroua Downs Estate” in the Carnarvon Block.

The land, having been declared a special settlement area was by contract compelled to settlement of at least 70 families. The result was Campbelltown, based on a central square (named Douglas).^[4] Later, due to many other settlements in New Zealand called Campbelltown, the township's name was changed to Rongotea. The Manawatu County Council chose this name as it meant "Peaceful place", although local tangata whenua Ngāti Rangitāne claim the name recalls a local respected chief.

Rongotea was the centre of a religious revival in the late 1890s and many churches were built.

References